Method and apparatus for blending or mixing



2, 1943- v R. c. HCPKINYS 2,333,104

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BLEND ING OR MIXING Fiied June 26, 19413nvenfor ROBERT C. H0P/r/Ns m (Ittorneg paratus ifor smoleculalfly;

Patented Nov. 2, 1943 naber-tc. napkins, Alliance, some Applicationlithe 2e, 1s41,-seii 1 ltd-399,323

Tms'inventien re ates ate metho s an a par tusior. blendine nn mixinemetri i and; mo e partieularlmiispeenc med h me ho s lend r-epn l uid or liuid containinemateflalsani -,sp c.if a -1y, the1 5 2943 andmethods nvetion ,1h ve ee us b oils such @SubIiEhb stockrneu r t ck, andpoundepressa t- 3 I sfi retzofor wvariousn o es e a d a pa a u haveebeenemp oyed to vblemi e f-mix liq i e iq-v um centaini zmate ials;and-withe ea erlpr le liguidsmave mended-to metain themselves in themixture iwhichgisotten undesirable. Fourth, known apparatuslaasrnotadapted itself to use in arlaiggegplurality of different .materials andhasflbeen. largely confined use one; operation PW T 3 Itds the" generelobject 'oflmy-inventionto avoid andv overcome the foregoing andotherdifficulties and yObjBDtiQIlS henetofore assoeiated with mea sforemixing and eblendingbywthe ,provision of im- .proved methods andapparatus adapted toenera tien upon a wide rvariety;. qi materials andof any given number, and which ,rapidly and inexpensi vely effect amost-intimflemixing of them-aterials in exactly lmown and eontrolled.amounts, and without the, inclusion oi air, water wa'por, or ethergasesin the completely mixed product.

Another object 0f my, invention is to provide relatively inexpensivesimple, long wearing easilyeoperated, ,and wefiieient apparatus tierblending exactly measured {and controlled amounts Lo'f:aplurality-ofyliquids ormaterials so as to produee amolecularnonglomeratethereof and including substantially .no entrappedgases.

Another object, of invention is the provi- .sion of apparatus 30f theindicated type in which 'by relatively simple changes or-ladiustmentsthe apparatus is capableof hendling and mixing any desired number ofliquidsflor lliquid :bear'mgmaterials.

Anothersobjeotof. my inv'ention is to provide expensively, andeflieien-tlyrn giorih' len'di a' lureli yae h'iiel i an wherein-t e mm emixture is free, or substantially free of entrapped 4 r, 3 a;attneril:;eriadirr ,arid ;milli i ig' themiwliilei fider' pressure 'infthe s ii'sqha i miss mo ecu a merfat so'flij'qluds'sjti essure'to am nd d enly 40icqn lomeiaeias mi s h se "in o in s ora materials such as can be movedto or through suitable conduits or other means. However, my methodand-apparatus is particularly concerned with blending or mixing liquidsor liquid bearing materials. The words liquids or liquid as used-in thespecification and claims are intended to include broadly liquids of anyand all kinds,

and, also, liquids bearing solids dissolved, sus-..

pended or otherwise carried by the liquid. In this connection it shouldbe understood that I 0011- template adding any non-liquid material in,powdered, granulated, jellied, or any other form to a liquid prior topassing the liquid to the blending apparatus of this invention so thatthe nonliquid material will be minutely mixed, intermingled, ormolecularly combined in the resulting blend of liquids produced by mymethod and apparatus. v

While as stated above my invention is broadly concerned with handling awide variety of liquids and other materials, nevertheless, one specificuse to which my apparatus and method has already found wide applicationis that of oil blending, and, accordingly, my invention has beenillustrated and will be described in conjunction with oil blending. Itshould be understood in this connection that oil'or other blending ormixing operations may involve a plurality of materials and that while Ihave illustrated and will describe in conjunction with the embodiment ofmy inventionshown in Fig. 1, the blending of three materials, namely,bright stock, neutral stock, and pour depressant, that my apparatus maybe readily adapted to blend or mix a greater or less number of materialsas hereinafter described in detail. v

Having reference to Fig. l of the drawing, the numeral It! indicates abase of flat rectangular form which carries at one end a prime mover I2,

usually of the form of an explosion proof electric motor. The maindriving shaft I3 of the motor l2'is connected through a suitablecoupling M to a straight-through shaft l6 of a reduction gear box l8which is mountedin line with the motor l2 on'the base it. Thestraightthrough shaft l6 of the gear box 18 is connected at it's'otherend, through a suitable coupling 20,

with the operating shaft 22 of a blending mill 24.

that the result is substantially a molecular conglomerate, which wordhere and in the claims is intended to cover any blending or mixingaction of the type wherein substantially every molecule of one materialbeing mixed is torn from every other molecule of the same material andthe molecules of the .several materials after mixed tends to lie next toa molecule of another material being mixed rather than having twomolecules of the same material engaging each other. Of course, in actualpractice where one material is predominate in the blend there may be anumber of molecules of this predominate material in engagement with eachother, but none-the-less the blending and mixing action produced by theblending mill is such that substantially each' molecule of thesamematerial will be torn from an adjacent molecule of the same material orthe action closely approaches this ideal.

The gear box l8 has a plurality of jack shafts 2'5 extending therefrom,usually in opposite directions, which due to the internal constructionof the gear box it are driven at a reduced speed other words, eachmolecule of one material being as compared to the straight-through shaiti6. For example, the jack shafts 2% may b driven at a speed Of 200 R. P.M., whereas the straightthrough shaft it is driven at the same speed asthe motor l2, for example 1750 R; P. M. Each jack shaft :23 is connectedthrough suitable couplings 23 and 33 with the operating shafts 32 and34, respectively, of pumps 35 and which may be mounted upon basebrackets 48 and 42 secured to the base iii of the apparatus.

The input side of the pump is connected by a conduit i l to a tank oro-ther'suitable' source of supply for bright stock, which is a petroleumdistillate or thinner. The output side of the pump 36 is connectedthrough a valv 45 and a conduit til with a manifold 56 which extends tothe intake side 52 of the blending mill 2d. The conduit 58 has a flowindicating meter 54 and a flow totalizing meter 56 associated therewith.The meter 54 indicates the rate of flow of liquid through the conduit d3whereas the meter indicates the total amount of flow. The pump 33 has aby-pass 58 associated therewithand extending from the output side of thepump back to the input side. A valve 66 controls the flow of liquidthrough the by-pass.

It will be recognized that the valves 45 and Gil provide a very accuratecontrol together with the meters 54 and 56 so that the exact amount ofbright stock passed to the manifold El] and into-the blending mill'24,together with the pressure on the bright stock can be very accuratelyand quickly controlled. Closing the by-pass valve 60 tends to increasethe pressure on the bright stock passed to the manifold 56, andtheamount of the bright stock passed to the manifold depends upon thesetting of the valve 48. Of course, usually both the valves 46 and 68must be adjusted to achieve exactly the type of pressure and amount offlow desired.

The input conduit 52 of the pump 38 extends to a tank or other source ofsupply for neutral stock, which may be crude oil of a given grade andquality, and the output side of the pump 38 extends through a'valve 64to a conduit 68 which is also connected to the manifold 59. The conduit68 has associated therewith flow indicating meter id and a flowtotalizing meter '52. The pump 38 includes a bypass 14 having a valve 16therein and which connects the input and output side of the pump 38 sothat the pump-together with its associated apparatus will function tosupply controlle-d'and 1 desired amounts of neutral stock underdesired-pressures tc the-input side of the blending mill 24.

In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1 meanshave been illustrated to supply desired'amounts of pour depressant toantenna sally, the numeral tt indicates-a pump which is driven bya-vbelt 332 or other'means'from the shaitfl. An- 'in=put-conduit M ontheis connected to a source of sup-plyofpour depressane andtheoutput sideof the pump tt is con-- nected through a valve 86 to a conduit SS-Whichisnonnected tothe'manifold 50.- A flowindicatingmeter 9t and a flowtotalizing meter- '9 2- are associatedwith the-conduit 88. Pump 80* isprovided with-aby-pa'ss T89 valved by means fl li "Ihe outputside of theblending mi-llN is connested by-a conduitQB, having "a pressure gageassociated therewith; to pressure relief means of suitablenat u'epositioned the top -o'i-a-storagetanrl b0; Although the'pressure reliefmeans may take a plurality of forms Ihave-round' that a suitableadjustable spray nozzle; such as "indicated by the numeral W2 "and"having some suitabie spray adjusting or adjustable flowrestrictmg meanslfikassociated therewith is particu larly suitable for my vpurpose.Usually the pressure'relief "means I G 2 are positioned at v the" centerand'in the top of the tankiflfl;

"Thetop of't'he tank' 100 is connecte'dby asuitable conduit lllfi totheintakeside' of pump *or blower Ntwhioh has its -output conduit I I0"connected to theatmosphere or to a' distillation'isystern. Convenientlmthe pump 'or'blower 1118 is of the centrifugal type' 'and is driven fromthe prime :mover la eithertby moimtm'g the "blower "78"011 the end ofthe'motor and extending the drive shaft "3 out both ends of the motor,or by providing pulleys" l '12 on the motor shaft I 3 and having thepulleys drive a jack shaft extending below themo'tor and connected tothe blower which wouldthen be mounted on the end *ofthe base 10.

I have found it advantageousto incorporate automatic starting andstoppingapparatus with the tank Tim and this may take the form of anelectric switch I It mounted on the outsideofthe tank flllfl and havingan operating shaft extendingthrough the side of the tank and securedtoa. lever lvf8icarrying a float I at its outer end. The switch 'ITI'BIwhen operated by the raising "of the float 'lml serves to shut ofitheprime mover l2 vas will be understood. A conduitl'22'conne'ct'ed toi'thebottom offthe tank I illlserves to remove the niixed liquli'dsfrom thetank I110.

Itlis believed that the operation of my improved apparatus, and thepractice of my new and use ful method will beev'ident from the foregoingdescription. Suffice it to say here that brightistock, neutral-stock,and pour depressant aresupplied in controlled and desired amounts by;the.1pumps 3'6, 38-and Bil to the manifoldSO and intake conduit 52. ofthe blending mill. The -pressure on the materials so supplied iscontrol1ed,=of course, by the valve mechanisms referred to inconjunction with the description ofllithe ,pum-ps, andfurther byadjusting the means" I'M controllin'gthe back pressure action ofthe.lpressure relief means I02. The pressure on the materials during themixing or blending inch when blending oil, 'althougnmany "ofthe "75matic by pass' pumps,- as l irnay use valved byadvantages 1 of theinvention are xretaineu when operating-another pressuresWhenshlendematerials other-"than oiI I contemplate meme pressures fromabove atmospheric-lupin about 5'00 pounds =per square inch oi even mm'e.Usually a pressure offat least someones per square 'isemployedi a i Theeffect orthe -applicationwof pressure on liquids du-rin'g blendingandilmixingds such, I believe; on the 'various molecules,ce1ls,:suspensoid iiorms, encapsulated particles and body thereofthe='resu lt -'isan apparent increase viscosity of the liquid. "This avery t'dif serene-aman improved type nf eutting, milling,

grinding and a ttiiting action on the-- liquids: in,

the blending mill than would J occur-' without zthe apparent change oiviscosity.

The liquids after blending pass still under pressure to the pressurerelief man's-positioned in the top of the tame IM a-t which time:they-awe sprayed or otherwis discharged into the tem: 1-00 winch "iskept under apressure hong-mater than atmospheric, andusually under 'xa'atmospheric pressure bythe blower jfl wi m sudden change from therelatively high pressure on=the=liquids to' tl-ie relatively' low erevens-ub atmospheric pressure i-n the' IM- causes aI-W air, water vapor,orother gasqbiibbles presemt in the mixed -li'qui'ds to substantiallyexplodeescape, or otherwise separate from the liquids proper. The*result'is that'the liquids"substantially free of gas "inclusionsfifalljte the bottom 'of t-he tam tfl from which they may be' drawnkofl by'the eon duitl22 W i L The-gas thusseparated trombhe-liquidsandpositioned "atthe top of the tahkis drawn oi f by thebkowehlfltihoughthe conduitffiimandisdischarged to-tlieratmosphere or ispassed hy-the blower through a suitable distillation or other 9 so"as-izto" draw the g aswany liquids thereinor could" be "formed' bysuitable condensationor treatment the gas; The "1 2fl"011eratingft1'iesWitCh -H6 *shuts off the motor "I 2 *whenthetan'k Hm becomestoo iul liHOWe've'r,

when liqui'd'isdrawn'frdmthe tanl routes neat I20 drops to operateswitch II6arrd"restart"the apparatus. v i 'Beforeleavingthe' apparatusandmethod illus trated in andabovedesdribed" it should be noted that :tosimplify the'illustration 'of-tne. an-

paratus and to :better exemplify the construction and working thereof"that "the "exact position and form of the various conduits an'd tankllfa'have been diagrammatically ShOWli. 'Inactual, apparatusconstructedin'faccordan'ce with the prinany sharp right angle *turnsandwill in general *provide'the best possible type of liquid conductingmeans. Also, I preferably-"arrange-the-*conduit and piping system sothat it may behompletelydrained froma single peteock; This is convenient*for cleaning *or forchanging 'theapparatus "to operations on othermaterials:

It should be understood'that I may-employ pumps incorporatingarr-toriiatic by-p assmeans with the 'flow o-f liquid being adjusted 'asabove describedby a suitable valvevor valves. 'HGW- ever, I should notbe limited to the use-of autopass, as already described, or I may useapump having an adjustable piston traveleo that 'the pump itself withoutlay-passing can be adjusted to operate at the partioularrate of iflowliesireu.

Still again, I may employ a variable speed motor to drive-the pump sothat the rate offlow may be controlled by the motor rather than thepump;

The embodiment of my invention shown inFig. 2, illustrates the. generalarrangement and construction, of the apparatus when it is adapted toblend more than three, and particularly four liquids. Specifically, thenumeral [la indicates a basehaving, a, prime mover I20. mounted at oneend thereofland driving a straight-through shaft of a gear box 18a. Jackshafts extending laterallyfrom the gear box lBa serve to drive pumps 36aand 38a in themanner heretofore described. The pumps 36a and 38aaremounted on base brackets 40a and 42a. However, instead of connectingthe straight-through shaft of the gear box I8a with the blending millZdcait is a relatively simple matter to extend the base iii of the formof the invention shown in Fig. 1 so that room is providedon theextendedbase lila for a second straight-through gear box lllla. Thestraight-through gear box. lid is connected to the straight-throughshaft of the gear box lea at one end and to the blending mill Zdd at itsother end. Thus, the blending mill 24a is still driven atthe same speedas the motor 12a. The laterally extending jack shafts of the gear boxI8la drive ,pumps 36|a and 3am which are mounted upon suitablebasebrackets 40m and Mia secured to the base lfla. In anexactly similarmanner additional base brackets can be secured to the base Illa to bothextend the length of thebase Illa and to provide additional laterallyextending base portions so that any desired number of additional gearboxes and pumps can be added to the apparatus to blend any desirednumber of liquids. Of course, additional pumps such as the pump 3%] inFig. 1 can be incorporated anyde'sired number of liquids in the blendingor mixing operation.

From the foregoing, it will be recognized that the objects of minvention have been achieved by the provision of improved means andmethods for minutely blending or,molecularly mixing a desired pluralityof liquids in controlled amounts and at controlled pressures. The methodand apparatus are rapid, relatively inexpensive, and easily controlled,adjusted and operated.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, I have particularlyillustrated and described certain best known embodiments of myinvention, it should be particularly understood that my invention is notto be limited thereto or thereby, but that the scope of my invention isdefined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. That method of mixingliquids which com.-

prises continuously passing a controlled and measured amount of oneliquid to a mixing chamber, continuously passing controlled andmeasuredamounts of at least one additional liquid to the mixing chamber,maintaining the liquids under a relatively high pressure in the mixingchamber, reducing the liquids to a molecular conglomerate by cutting,attriting, grinding and milling them while under pressure in the mixingchamber, continuously passing the molecular conglomerate ofliquids'still under pressure to a storage tank, suddenly releasing thepressure on the conglomerate as it is discharged in spray form into thetank so that any gas bubbles present explode or escape and the gas staysat the top of the tank and the liquid conglomerate falls to the bottomof the tank, and withdrawing the gas from the top of the tank undersub-atmospheric pressure;

2. That method of mixing liquids which coniprise continuously passingcontrolled and measured amounts of a plurality of liquids to the mixingchamber, maintaining the liquids under a pressure of over atmosphericpressure and up to about 500 pounds per square inch in the mixingchamber, reducing the liquids to a mixture by cutting, attriting,grinding and milling them while under pressure in the mixing chamber,continuously passing the mixture of liquids'still under pressure to astorage tank, suddenly releasing the pressure on the mixture as it isdischarged into the tank, and controlling the pressure on the system atthe point of pressure release.

3. That method of blending oils which comprises continuously passingbright stock in controlled amounts to a mixing chamber, continuouslypassing controlled amounts of neutral stock to the mixing chamber,continuously passing controlled amounts of pour depressant to the mixingchamber, maintaining the liquids under a pressure of over 50 pounds persquare inch in the mixing chamber, continuously reducing the liquids inthe mixing chamber to a molecular conglomerate, continuously passing theliquids from the chamber to a storage chamber while still underpressure, spraying the liquids into the storage chamber so as tosuddenly release the pressure thereon, and maintaining sub-atmosphericpressure in and about the spray in the storage chamber.

"4. That method of blending oils which comprises continuously passingbright stockin controlled amounts to a. mixing chamber, continuouslypassing controlled amounts of neutral stock .to the mixing chamber,continuously passing controlled amounts of pour depressant to the mixingchamber, maintaining the liquids under a relatively high pressure in themixing chamber, continuously reducing the liquids'in the mixing chamberto a molecular conglomerate by a' cutting, attriting, milling andgrinding action, continuously passing the liquids from the chamber to astorage chamber while still under pressure, and discharging the liquidsinto the storage chamber so as to suddenly release the pressurethereo'n,

5. Apparatus for mixing liquids comprising an explosion-proof'motor, areduction gearbox, a straight-through shaft on the gear box connectedwith the motor shaft, a blending mill having its operating shaftconnected with the straightthrough shaft of the gear box so that theblending mill is driven at the speed'of the motor, jack shafts extendinglaterally in opposite directions from the gear box and operating at afraction of the motor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having itsoperating shaft connected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extendingfrom the inlet of each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifoldconnected to the input side of the blending mill, a separate conduitextending from the manifold to the output side of each pump, a flowindicating meter and a flow totalizing meter connected with each one ofsaid lastnamed separate conduit, a by-pass control connected with eachof said pumps so as to control the pressure head of liquids supplied tothe blending mill, a storage tank connected to the output side of theblending mill, pressure-relief spray means for discharging the liquidinto the storage tank, and means operated by the motor for removing gasfrom the top of the storage tank and maintaining the top of the tankunder sub-atmospheric pressure.

6. Apparatus for blending liquids comprising a motor, a reduction gearbox, a blending mill having its operating shaft connected with the gearbox so that the blending mill is driven at the speed of the motor, jackshafts extending from the gear box and operating at a fraction of themotor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having its operating shaftconnected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extending from the inletof each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifold connected to theinput side of the blending mill, a separate conduitextending from themanifold to the output side of each pump, a flow indicating meter and aflow totalizing meter connected with each one of said lastnamed separateconduit, a by-pass control connected with each of said pumps so as tocontrol the pressure head of liquids supplied to the blending mill, astorage tank connected to the output side of the blending mill, apressurerelief spray means fordischarging the liquid into the storagetank, and means for removing gas from the top of the storage tank.

7. Apparatus for mixing liquids comprising a motor, a reduction gearbox, a blending mill having its operating shaft connected with the gearbox so that the blending mill is driven at the speed of the motor, jackshafts extending from the gear box and operating at a fraction of themotor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having its operating shaftconnected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extending from the inletof each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifold connected to theinput side of the blending mill, a separate conduit extending from themanifold to the output side of each pump, a flow meter connected witheach one of said lastnamed separate conduit, a by-pass control connected with each of said pumps so as to control the pressure head ofliquids supplied to the blending mill, a storage tank connected to theoutput side of the blending mill, and pressurerelief spray means fordischarging the liquid into the storage tank.

8. Apparatus for blending liquids comprising a motor, a reduction gearbox, a blending mill having its operating shaft connected with the gearbox so that the blending mill is driven at the speed of the motor, jackshafts extending from the gear box and operating at a fraction of themotor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having its operating shaftconnected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extending from the inletof each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifold connected to theinput side of th blendin mill, a separate conduit extending from themanifold to the output side of each pump, a by-pass control connectedwith each of said pumps so as to control the quantity and in part thepressure head of liquids supplied to the blending mill, a storage tankconnected to the output side of the blending mill, pressure-relief meansfor dischar ing the liquid into the storage tank, and adjustable flowrestricting means connected with the pressure-relief means and adaptedto control the back pressure.

9. Apparatus for blending liquids comprising a motor, reduction gear boxmeans connected to the motor, a blending mil1 having its operating shaftconnected with the gear box means so that the blending mill is driven atthe speed of the motor, jack shafts extending from the gear box meansand operating at a fraction of the motor speed, a plurality of pumps,each pump having its operating shaft connected to a jack shaft, aseparate conduit extending from the inlet of each pump to a source ofliquid supply, a manifold connected to the input side of the blendingmill, a separate conduit extending from the manifold to the output sideof each pump, a storage tank connected to the output side of theblending mill,

and means for discharging the output side of the blending mil1 into thestorage tank with a sudden release of pressure.

10. Apparatus for mixing liquids comprising a blending mill adapted toreduce the liquids to a molecular conglomerate by cutting, attriting,grinding, and milling, means for driving the mill at high speed, meansoperated by the mill driving means for continuously supplying controlledamounts of a plurality of liquids and under controlled relatively highpressures to the blending mill, a storage tank, means including apressure relief spray continuously discharging the output of theblending mill into the storage tank, and means operated by the milldriving means for withdrawing gas from the top of the storage tank andfor maintaining the inside of the tank under sub-atmospheric pressure.

11. Apparatus for blending liquids comprising a blending mill adapted toreduce the liquids to a molecular conglomerate by cutting, attriting,grinding, and milling, means for driving the mill at high speed, meansfor supplying controlled amounts ofa plurality of liquids and underrelatively high pressures to the blending mill, a storage tank, meansfor discharging the output of the blending mill into the storage tankwith a sudden release of, pressure, and means for adjustably controllingthe flow restricting action of the discharging means.

ROBERT C. HOPKINS.

